[vibbs]

What is with Pujara?

Has not scored a single run in last 13 odd overs!!

[selfdrive]

At least he is still batting. Though the art of taking the single would be useful, with Pujara that induces runouts of late and Rohit is not the fastest to stop and turn back. Let us not get there either.

Just as I type, Rohit has hit a big six over cover. Pujara followed up in the next over with an upper cut over the slips. He has played 75+ deliveries; usually around this time of the innings he starts scoring faster.
Let us hope he continues to be himself and doesn't try to outpace or match Rohit.
It would be great if these two could also bat out Lyon's spell a bit. Rishabh Pant will see Lyon as a red rag and that may go any direction.

[vibbs]

No no I don't mean to ridicule. Someone needs to put his foot down and anchor. Its good Pujara is out there.

It was just an observation that he seemed to have gotten into a shell. Sometimes that can have a negative effect on the partner.

Anyways talent is gone now. Let's see how much India is able to scrape through to with the lower order to accompany Pujara.

[hemanth.anand]

Lyon has removed Pant now. A quickfire 25 and he is gone. Our all rounder Ashwin has joined Pujara now. If India huff and puff to 250 somehow, they can make a match out of this. If they are dismissed under 200, the match is as good as gone

[Santoshbhat]

I watched the game for about 15 mins this morning. Beautiful batting conditions out there. All it needed was some application in the first session. I think our team needs to tune their mental attitude for test match batting. Most of the batsmen got out playing ambitious strokes. Saw Pant miss a huge cross bat hoik against Cummins . It is one thing being positive, but this is just crazy when you are 120/5 on day one of a test match in good conditions.

[kavensri]

We have not even completed a day of 4 match series and see what ESPN Cricinfo has come up with http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...shot-day-award
Its basic thing in test cricket to give it to bowlers and play cautiously in the first session of a day (especially when you are playing a first day of a first match of a series), but still we keep making the same mistakes repeatedly!
Do we ever learn from our past mistakes?

[PPS]

As expected our batters keep making the same mistakes, not that we were expecting anything else on the 1st day of the 1st Test.

We need more batsman like Pujara in the team who can grind out the opposition bowlers. Agreed he is only scoring at a strike rate of 30, but what good is a quickfire 20 odd like Pant in a test match, unless its from a taillender!

Was disappointed to see Vihari benched, it was perhaps the correct call since he wouldn't have played on such pitches before & against such pace. He looked decent in that test in England.

Other than Virat & Pujara, India's next best batsman in such conditions is perhaps Ashwin. We somehow need to get Bhuvi into the XI just for his handy batting skills. Since, the team which puts the most runs of the board is going to win the series.

[Oxy]

I keep hearing Rahul is very talented, but over the last five series I haven't witnessed any talent in him. He is nothing more than a LOI hack.

Also our so called test specialists (Rahane and Vijay) are no good. I mean, if you chase balls that wide and give catching practice to the slips, you are just useless at this level. Just retire before embarrassing yourself and the team further.

Shastri needs to go and Kohli needs to give up test captaincy. Till that happens, nothing will change. No point in following this team honestly.

[hemanth.anand]

What a gritty innings from Pujara; showing his team mates how test matches are supposed to be played.
It's not always about strike rate. Application, focus, weathering the conditions and tiring the bowlers out.
Excellent century! Standing tall among the ruins

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

If India huff and puff to 250 somehow, they can make a match out of this.

One target reached.
And as I type this, Pujara is out! well compiled innings!

[vibbs]

A very well compiled century by Pujara. Probably a lesson for others as well on how a test match is ought to be played? If one more of the top order batsmen could have stuck a little longer we could have got a half decent score.

[rovingeye]

Awesome from Pujara. Hope he doesn't get complacent for the rest of the series now.

Aside, we need wholesale changes to our team. Vijay looks like he's past his prime, for all the county experience he picked up, he still doesn't have jack to show. KL Rahul is a far cry from his namesake, the Wall. I think Kohli had said that he's going to give Rahul a long rope. Will that rope ever end? I can't understand for the life of me - why are we persisting with Rahul??

Rahane is always a hit or miss player. Not reliable.

As for Kohli, I think handing over the captaincy to someone else will improve his Test match game. He's not that strategic and always reacts to situation.

Shashtri - he's the eternal freeloader. COA should give him the boot.

Ok, enough ranting for day 1.

[saket77]

Pujara literally on the steps of Dravid! Some interesting numbers have come up!!

Pujara completes his 5000 test runs in 108 innings; Dravid did the same in as many innings!

Pujara scored 4000 runs in 84 innings, Ditto for Dravid!!

Pujara reached 3000 test runs in 67 innings. Well...same pinch Dravid

What coincidence!!

Source: https://aajtak.intoday.in/gallery/dr...o-5-29342.html

[rovingeye]

Hear Kolhi's bat doing the talking -
https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/sta...75373666516993

(Have your sound on)

Sad, we were derived of this kind of shot play when the actual time came.

[Santoshbhat]

First time I am seeing a tame Aussie team as far as the mental aspect is concerned. Where is their usual 'take it to opposition' aggressive attitude? They have been far too defensive and are basically digging a hole for themselves . Yes it is a young inexperienced batting side but I don't remember seeing young Australian cricketers this defensive with their cricketing attitude. They have always reeked of arrogance!

I guess the plan was to be aggressive with Finch at the top. But once he went cheaply trying to play a big shot too early, the others have been too defensive. Looks like we have a good match on our hands .

[vibbs]

Great come back by INdians. If we are able to get them out under 200 and avoid a top order collapse, we may end up with a rare opening test victory overseas.
Still a lot of cricket remaining. But a good test match in the making.